Flexible compartment design on autonomous and semi-autonomous vehicle

Abstract

Provided herein is an autonomous or semi-autonomous vehicle fleet comprising a plurality of autonomous or semi-autonomous vehicles coordinated by a fleet management module. Each vehicle may be configured to receive a modular unit, wherein the modular unit is configured to secure a consumer product.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A reconfigurable autonomous or semi-autonomous vehicle system comprising:
 a) a plurality of first removable modular units, wherein at least one of the plurality of first modular units comprises a first width, a first height, and a first depth, wherein each first modular unit further comprises a first modular unit fastener, a first modular unit power port, and a first modular unit data port; 
 b) a second removable modular unit, the second modular unit comprising a second width, a second height, and a second depth, wherein the second modular unit further comprises a second modular unit fastener, a second modular unit power port, a second modular unit data port, and wherein the second removable modular unit is characterized by at least one of:
 (i) the second width different from the first width, 
 (ii) the second height different from the first height, and 
 (iii) the second depth different from the first depth; 
 
 c) an autonomous or semi-autonomous land vehicle comprising:
 (i) an energy storage device, 
 (ii) a communication device, 
 (iii) an autonomous or semi-autonomous propulsion system, 
 (iv) a non-transitory computer-readable storage media encoded with a computer program including instructions executable by a processor to create an application comprising:
 A) a navigation module receiving at least a location via the communication device and directing the autonomous or semi-autonomous land propulsion system based at least on the location, and 
 B) a transmission module transmitting an output data, receiving an input data, or both, via the communication device, to a command center, and 
 
 (v) a modular unit receptacle, the receptacle configured to receive one or more modular units, the one or more modular units including at least one of the first removable modular unit and alternatively receive the second removable modular unit, the receptacle comprising:
 A) a plurality of vehicle power ports configured to transmit power from the energy storage device to the one or more modular units, 
 B) a plurality of vehicle data ports configured to communicatively connect to the one or more modular units, and 
 C) at least one vehicle fastener configured to reversibly affix the one or more modular units to the vehicle, 
 
 
 wherein the system further comprises a multi-modal autonomous or semi-autonomous modular configuration comprising a first configuration mode and a second configuration mode; 
 wherein the first configuration mode comprises the receptacle receiving the plurality of first modular units, the plurality of first modular unit power ports operably coupling to the plurality of vehicle power ports to receive a first power from the energy storage device, the plurality of vehicle data ports communicatively connecting the transmission module to the plurality of first modular unit data ports, and the at least one vehicle fastener operably coupling with the first modular unit fasteners to reversibly affix the plurality of first modular units to the vehicle, and 
 
       wherein the second configuration mode comprises the receptacle receiving the second modular unit, the second modular unit power port operably coupling to one of the plurality of vehicle power ports to receive a second power from the energy storage device, at least one vehicle data port communicatively connecting the transmission module to the second modular unit data port, and the at least one vehicle fastener operably coupling with the second modular unit fastener to reversibly affix the second modular unit to the vehicle;
 wherein the at least one of the plurality of first modular units comprises a first modular unit exhaust port; 
 wherein the receptacle further comprises a plurality of vehicle exhaust ports configured to receive exhaust from one or more modular units; and 
 wherein the first configuration mode comprises at least one of the plurality of vehicle exhaust ports operably coupling to the at least one of the first modular unit exhaust port to receive a first exhaust from the at least one of the first modular unit, the first exhaust being gaseous exhaust emitted by a component within the at least one of the first modular unit. 
 
     
     
       2. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the vehicle interior fastener comprises a hook, a ring, a shelf, a bar, a spring, a rail, a slide, a bolt, a nut, a bearing, a bushing, a tie, a clip, a chain, a rack, a magnet, or any combination thereof. 
     
     
       3. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the vehicle further comprises a lock configured to prevent unauthorized removal of any modular unit from the vehicle, wherein the lock includes the at least one vehicle fastener and a modular unit fastener included in the one or more modular units. 
     
     
       4. The system of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the plurality of first removable modular units or the second removable modular unit include a display screen, and wherein the input data comprises a modular unit display data. 
     
     
       5. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the output data comprises a modular unit access status, a current modular unit temperature, a modular unit type, or any combination thereof. 
     
     
       6. The system of  claim 1  further including a vehicle temperature control system configured to control temperature within the one or more modular units, the vehicle temperature control system being disposed away from the vehicle. 
     
     
       7. A reconfigurable autonomous vehicle system comprising:
 a) a first removable modular unit, wherein the first removable modular unit comprises a first width, a first height, and a first depth, wherein the first removable modular unit further comprises a first modular unit fastener, a first modular unit power port, and a first modular unit data port; 
 b) a second removable modular unit, the second removable modular unit comprising a second width, a second height, and a second depth, wherein the second removable modular unit further comprises a second modular unit fastener, a second modular unit power port, and a second modular unit data port; and 
 c) an autonomous vehicle comprising
 (i) an energy storage device, 
 (ii) a communication device, 
 (iii) a propulsion system, the propulsion system arranged to provide autonomous propulsion, 
 (iv) a non-transitory computer-readable storage media encoded with a computer program including instructions executable by a processor to create an application comprising
 A) a navigation module receiving at least a location via the communication device and directing the propulsion system based at least on the location, and 
 B) a transmission module transmitting an output data to a command center, receiving an input data from the command center, or both, via the communication device, and 
 
 (v) a plurality of interior compartments, the plurality of interior compartments including a first interior compartment and a second interior compartment, the first interior compartment configured to receive one or more modular units such that the one or modular units is removably disposed within the first interior compartment, the one or more modular units including at least one of the first removable modular unit and the second removable modular unit, the first interior compartment comprising
 A) at least one vehicle power port configured to transmit power from the energy storage device to the one or more modular units, 
 B) at least one vehicle data port configured to communicatively connect to the one or more modular units, 
 C) at least one vehicle fastener configured to reversibly attach the one or more modular units to the vehicle, and 
 D) at least one cooling/heating port configured to transfer heat or cold from the autonomous vehicle and at least one exhaust port configured to transfer a gaseous exhaust from the one or more modular units. 
 
 
 
     
     
       8. The reconfigurable autonomous vehicle system of  claim 7  further including a vehicle temperature control system configured to control temperature within at least one of the first interior compartment and the second interior compartment. 
     
     
       9. The reconfigurable autonomous vehicle system of  claim 7  further including a vehicle temperature control system configured to control temperature within the first removable modular unit and the second removable modular unit. 
     
     
       10. A reconfigurable autonomous or semi-autonomous vehicle system comprising:
 a) a first removable modular unit, wherein the first removable modular unit comprises a first width, a first height, and a first depth, wherein the first modular unit further comprises a first modular unit fastener, the first modular unit being of a first type; 
 b) a second removable modular unit, the second removable modular unit comprising a second width, a second height, and a second depth, wherein the second removable modular unit further comprises a second modular unit fastener, the second modular unit being of a second type, the second type being different from the first type; and 
 c) an autonomous or semi-autonomous land vehicle comprising
 (i) an energy storage device, 
 (ii) a communication device, 
 (iii) an autonomous or semi-autonomous propulsion system, 
 (iv) a non-transitory computer-readable storage media encoded with a computer program including instructions executable by a processor to create an application comprising
 A) a navigation module receiving at least a location via the communication device and directing the autonomous or semi-autonomous land propulsion system based at least on the location, and 
 B) a transmission module transmitting an output data to a command center, receiving an input data from the command center, or both, via the communication device, and 
 
 (v) a modular unit receptacle, the receptacle configured to receive one or more modular units, the one or more modular units including at least one of the first removable modular unit and the second removable modular unit, the receptacle comprising a plurality of vehicle fasteners including a first vehicle fastener configured to reversibly affix the first removable modular unit to the vehicle and a second vehicle fastener configured to reversibly affix the second removable modular unit to the vehicle, wherein the first modular unit fastener includes at least one of a first modular unit cooling or heating port, and a modular unit exhaust port. 
 
 
     
     
       11. An autonomous vehicle system comprising:
 a) a first removable modular unit, wherein the first removable modular unit includes a first modular unit fastener, a first modular unit power port, and a first modular unit data port; 
 b) a second removable modular unit, wherein the second removable modular unit includes a second modular unit fastener, a second modular unit power port, and a second modular unit data port; and 
 c) an autonomous vehicle comprising
 (ii) an energy storage device, 
 (ii) a communication device, 
 (iii) a propulsion system, the propulsion system arranged to provide autonomous propulsion, 
 (iv) a non-transitory computer-readable storage media encoded with a computer program including instructions executable by a processor to create an application comprising
 A) a navigation module receiving at least a location via the communication device and directing the propulsion system based at least on the location, and 
 B) a transmission module transmitting an output data to a command center, receiving an input data from the command center, or both, via the communication device, and 
 
 (v) at least a first interior compartment, the first interior compartment configured to receive one or more modular units such that the one or modular units is removably disposed within the first interior compartment, the one or more modular units including at least one of the first removable modular unit and the second removable modular unit, the first interior compartment including at least one vehicle power port configured to transmit power from the energy storage device to the one or more modular units and at least one vehicle data port configured to communicatively connect to the one or more modular units, wherein the first interior compartment is configured to transfer heat or cold from the autonomous vehicle and to transfer a gaseous exhaust from the one or more modular units.